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<br>
 <h1 align="center"><span class="pagetitle">Netscape Navigator</span><br>
<font size=4><a href="http://www.netscape.com">(Netscape Communications&reg;)</a></font><br>
<font size=2>= <span class="sitetitle">Index DOT Html/Css</span> by <a href="../misc/email.htm">Brian Wilson</a> =</font></h1>

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<table cellpadding=5 width="90%">
<tr><td colspan=3><hr></td></tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><big><b class="mainheading">Platforms -4.x</b></big></td>
     <td valign=top align=left colspan=2>
         <b class="subheading">Macintosh:</b> 68K, Power Mac<br>
         <b class="subheading">PC:</b> Win9x, 3.X, NT [Intel and Alpha], 2000/XP<br>
         <b class="subheading">Unix:</b> AIX, BSDI, HP-UX, IRIX, Linux, OSF, Sparc Solaris, SunOS<br>
         <b class="subheading">Other:</b> Alpha, OS/2, VAX
     </td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><big><b class="mainheading">Platforms 6.x+</b></big></td>
     <td valign=top align=left colspan=2>
         <b class="subheading">Macintosh:</b> OS 8.5-9.x, OSX<br>
         <b class="subheading">PC:</b> Win95/98/ME, NT/2000/XP<br>
         <b class="subheading">Unix:</b> AIX, BSDI, HP-UX, IRIX, Linux, OpenVMS, Solaris, Tru64<br>
         <b class="subheading">Other:</b> BeOS, OS/2
     </td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><big><b class="mainheading">About the<br>Browser</b></big></td>
     <td valign=top align=left colspan=2>In mid-1994, Silicon Graphics founder Jim
     Clark collaborated with Marc Andreessen to found Mosaic Communications (later
     renamed to Netscape Communications.) Andreessen had just graduated from the
     University of Illinois, where he had been the leader of a certain software
     project known as "Mosaic". By this time, the Mosaic browser was starting to
     make splashes outside of the academic circles where it had begun, and both
     men saw the great potential for web browsing software. Within a brief
     half-year period, many of the original folk from the NCSA Mosaic project
     were working for Netscape, and a browser was released to the public.
     <br><br>

     Netscape quickly became a success, and the overwhelming market share it soon
     had was due to many factors, not the least of which was its break-neck pace
     of software releases (a new term was soon coined - "internet time" - which
     described the incredible pace at which browsers and the web were moving.) It also
     created and innovated at an incredible pace. New HTML capabilities in the form
     of "extensions" to the language were introduced. Since these capabilities
     were often flashier than what other run-of-the-mill browsers could produce,
     Netscape's browser helped cement their own dominance. By the summer of 1995,
     it was a good bet that if you were browsing the Internet, you were doing so
     with a Netscape browser - by some accounts Netscape had as much as an 80%+
     market share.
     <br><br>

     With the launch of Windows 95 and a web browser of its own (Internet Explorer)
     in August 1995, Microsoft began an effort to challenge Netscape. For quite a
     while, Internet Explorer played catch-up to Netscape's continual pushing of the
     browsing technological envelope, but with one major advantage: unlike Netscape,
     Internet Explorer was free of charge. Netscape version 2.0 introduced a bevy of
     must-have breakthrough features (frames, Java, Javascript and Plug-ins) which
     helped distance it from the pack, even *with* its attendant price tag. Mid-1995
     to late-1996 was a very busy time for both browsers; it seemed like every week one
     company or the other was releasing a new beta or final version to the public,
     each seemingly trying to one-up the other.
     <br><br>

     But slowly, Internet Explorer gained market share ground. By the fourth
     generations of both browsers, Internet Explorer had caught up technologically
     with Netscape's browser. As time went on, Netscape's market share diminished from
     its once-towering percentages.
     <br><br>

     In January 1998, Netscape made an announcement that their browser would thereafter
     be free, and also that the development of the browser would move to an open-source
     process. This came as wonderful news to many on the Internet. But the time
     between this announcement, and the actual delivery of Mozilla 1.0 would be 
     a long road (over 4 years.) The process ended up taking much longer than 
     originally anticipated, what with the Netscape/AOL merger and the late-hour 
     decision to integrate an entirely new next-generation HTML rendering engine.
     <br><br>

     Even with the tantalizing promise for authors of finally having a wide-distribution
     browser that completely adheres to the official language standards for HTML, CSS,
     DOM and ECMAScript, the market-share that Netscape once held has mostly evaporated
     (by many accounts its market share is now down below 20%.) Its initial 
     release of Netscape 6.0 was considered slow and buggy, and adoption was 
     slow to occur. Now that Mozilla has finally reached what it considers to 
     be a significant milestone in its development process (1.0 - which Netscape 
     7.0 is based on), perhaps those market share usage numbers will increase 
     again...certainly the latest releases are very stable, much faster and 
     support an ever-growing variety of standards and features. 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><big><b class="mainheading">Mozilla&nbsp;<em>IS</em><br>Netscape&nbsp;6+</big></td>
     <td valign=top align=left colspan=2>
     Since work on Mozilla began, the real work and interesting news really happens 
     there. Many people have asked why I also do not include coverage of Mozilla 
     here on this site. The answer is: I already do - from what I can tell there
     are no significant differences of any kind between the Mozilla code and the
     corresponding Netscape code with respect to HTML/CSS support. The only difference
     is that Netscape is based on Mozilla code that is not always the most current. 
     Mozilla support information <em><b>IS</b></em> listed here if you know how 
     to interpret it.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><big><b class="mainheading">The Future</b></big></td>
     <td valign=top align=left colspan=2>It doesn't look like Netscape will be much of 
     a marketshare threat to anyone anymore. As already mentioned, the real work 
     goes on with the Mozilla project now, but it is uncertain how this open 
     source project will fare and progress now that its corporate parent has loosened its 
     ties. The all-in-one suite approach that Mozilla has pursued up to its 
     1.0 milestone has been changing. The new stand-alone browser (Firebird) and
     email client (Thunderbird) projects attempt to trim down the mass that any 
     application suite tends to carry with it. Will "diet Mozilla" attract a bigger
     audience? Time will, of course, tell.
</td>
</tr>

<tr><td colspan=3><hr></td></tr>

<tr>
     <td align=left><big><b class="mainheading">Version</b></big></td>
     <td align=left><big><b class="mainheading">Released</b></big></td>
     <td align=left><big><b class="mainheading">Features</b></big></td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td><hr width="90%" align=left></td>
     <td><hr width="90%" align=left></td>
     <td><hr width="50%" align=left></td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">1.0B1</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Oct. 1994</b></td>
     <td align=left> The First Beta of version 1 (version 0.9) The original 
         release of the browser supports all basic HTML 2 elements and some 
         limited HTML 3 functionality.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">1.0</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Dec. 1994</b></td>
     <td align=left>Final Release of version 1.0</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan=3><hr width="75%" align=left></td></tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">1.1B1</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Mar. 1995</b></td>
     <td align=left>The first Beta of version 1.1 added table support as well
         as many of its own new HTML elements and attributes.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">1.1</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Apr. 1995</b></td>
     <td align=left>Final Release of version 1.1</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan=3><hr width="75%" align=left></td></tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">1.2B1</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Jun. 1995</b></td>
     <td align=left>First Beta of version 1.2 which updated the user interface
         for Windows 95 and added no new HTML support.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">1.2</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Jul. 1995</b></td>
     <td align=left>Final Release of version 1.2</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan=3><hr width="75%" align=left></td></tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">2.0B1</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Oct. 1995</b></td>
     <td align=left>First Beta of the Navigator release added several HTML 3
         elements, Frames and the ability to handle Java.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">2.0B3</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Dec. 1995</b></td>
     <td align=left>This version added the ability to process JavaScript</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">2.0</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Mar. 1996</b></td>
     <td align=left>Final Release of version 2.0</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan=3><hr width="75%" align=left></td></tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">3.0B1</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Apr. 1996</b></td>
     <td align=left>First Beta which was originally titled Atlas, this release
         added many new plug-ins, and support for background colors in tables.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">3.0B5</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Jul. 1996</b></td>
     <td align=left>This version adds support for underlining, frame border
         control and Font FACE styles. It also adds new elements to allow for
         column layout (&lt;Multicol&gt;) and spacing control (&lt;Spacer&gt;)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">3.0B7</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Aug. 1996</b></td>
     <td align=left>The only new HTML feature in this version appears to be the
         ARCHIVE attribute to the APPLET element.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">3.0-3.04</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Aug. 1996-<br>Oct. 1997</b></td>
     <td align=left>Final Release of version 3. Point releases beyond this add no new
      HTML support, just address Javascript functionality and security bugs.</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan=3><hr width="75%" align=left></td></tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">4.0B1</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Dec. 1996</b></td>
     <td align=left>Preview release of 4.0 (Netscape Communicator.) This adds
         the new LAYER element that allows precise positioning control in documents.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">4.0B2</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Feb. 1997</b></td>
     <td align=left>Second preview release of 4.0 (Netscape Communicator.) This adds
         in-line layering, and Cascading/JavaScript Style Sheet Support.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">4.0B3</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Apr. 1997</b></td>
     <td align=left>Third preview release of 4.0 (Netscape Communicator.) Improves upon
         the very rudimentary style sheet support in Beta 2 (PR2.)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">4.0B4/5</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">May. 1997</b></td>
     <td align=left>Fourth and fifth beta of 4.0. Beta 4 was a PC-only release with
         minor HTML improvements, while Beta 5 is cross-platform and adds the
         Netcaster push technology.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">4.0-4.08</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Jun. 1997-<br>Nov. 1998</b></td>
     <td align=left>Final Release of Communicator. Final tally adds more CSS support
         (much but not all of the CSS1 spec and the CSS positioning draft are implemented),
         minimal dynamic font and OBJECT element support. Point releases beyond this
         add no new HTML support, just address security bugs.</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan=3><hr width="75%" align=left></td></tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Jan. 1998</b></td>
     <td align=left><b class="alert">Netscape announces its browser will be free.<br>
         Also announced: Browser source code will be made available for free on the Internet. <br>
         Mozilla project begins</b></td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan=3><hr width="75%" align=left></td></tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">4.5B1</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Jul. 1998</b></td>
     <td align=left>Various functionality improvements, but no new HTML or CSS support.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">4.5B2</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Sep. 1998</b></td>
     <td align=left>Beta 2.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">4.5-4.8</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Oct. 1998-<br>Aug. 2002</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>4.5 final release. Point releases beyond this add no
         new HTML support, just address bugs.</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan=3><hr width="75%" align=left></td></tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Nov. 1998</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top><b class="alert">Netscape decides to integrate its
         new NGLayout rendering engine (Gecko) into Mozilla (v.6.0)<br>
         AOL Buys Netscape for a ~$4.3 billion stock transaction ($~8.98 billion 
         by the time the sale was finalized.)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Jan. 2000</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>Mozilla project hits Milestone 13 (M13) -
         considered to be first "alpha" quality release of the project.</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan=3><hr width="75%" align=left></td></tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">6.0B1</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Apr. 2000</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>Netscape/AOL releases 6.0 PR1 - its first all new
         beta browser in several years. This release integrates the Mozilla code
         approximately from the Milestone 14 (M14) work.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">6.0B2</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Aug. 2000</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>Netscape/AOL releases 6.0 PR2. This release
         integrates the Mozilla work from ~ the Milestone 17 (M17) timeframe.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">6.0B3</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Oct. 2000</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>Netscape/AOL releases 6.0 PR3. This release
         integrates the Mozilla work from ~ the Milestone 18 (M18) timeframe.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">6.0</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Nov. 2000</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>Final release of version 6.0. Based on the Mozilla 0.6 milestone.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">6.01</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Feb. 2001</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>Update release based on Mozilla 0.6.1 milestone.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">6.1PR1</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Jun. 2001</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>Pre-release of 6.1.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">6.1</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Aug. 2001</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>Update release based on Mozilla 0.9.2. Includes bug fixes,
         and is much quicker and more stable than original 6.0 release.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">6.2</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Oct. 2001</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>Update release based on Mozilla 0.9.4 milestone.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">6.2.3</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">May. 2002</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>Update release also based on Mozilla 0.9.4 milestone.</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan=3><hr width="75%" align=left></td></tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">May. 2002</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top><b class="alert">Mozilla finally reaches the 1.0 milestone</b></td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan=3><hr width="75%" align=left></td></tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">7.0PR1</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">May. 2002</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>Pre-release of 7.0, based on the Mozilla 1.0 RC2 code.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">7.0</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Aug. 2002</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>Final release of Netscape 7.0, based on the Mozilla 1.0.1 code. Deactivates 
         the popular popup-blocking Mozilla feature by default.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">7.01</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Dec. 2002</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>Update release based on Mozilla 1.0.2. Re-instates the 
         popup-blocking feature.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">7.02</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Feb. 2003</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>Update also based on Mozilla 1.0.2. Minor security 
         and stability changes.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top><b class="subheading">7.1</b></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Jun. 2003</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top>This update synchronizes Netscape with the Mozilla codebase of the time: Mozilla 1.4.</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan=3><hr width="75%" align=left></td></tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Dec. 2002</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top><b class="alert">Major layoffs/reassignments at Netscape/AOL</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">May. 2003</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top><b class="alert">Microsoft resolves a lawsuit with 
         Netscape parent company AOL in a $750 million settlement. AOL will continue 
         distributing Microsoft's Internet Explorer instead of Netscape.</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td valign=top></td>
     <td valign=top><b class="l3heading">Jul. 2003</b></td>
     <td align=left valign=top><b class="alert">AOL cuts Mozilla loose and transforms the 
     open source project into a non-profit organization with 2 Million US dollars in seed 
     funding. AOL's Netscape division suffers another major layoff round, cutting 50 
     employees.</b></td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan=3><hr></td></tr>
</table>

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